The Goddaughter
by JJBluebell
Summary: Mid-S4 when Giles's friend from the council dies, his goddaughter is sent to live with him. she's always known about the evils of the world, but can the girl face the evils of loss and survive? what will happen when she befriends a chipped Spike? REVIEW
1. New Home

As Willow heats up a mug of pig's blood for Spike, who's tied to the chair in the living room, Buffy, Xander and Anya all researching the latest demon, the phone rings and Giles comes down the stairs and answers "hello?...speaking" all eyes are on him, his face turning serious as the person on the other end speaks. He nods after a few minutes and says "yes I understand. I'm more than willing to take responsibility. Yes, thank you." Buffy is the first to ask "Giles who was that?" he looks at the group and explains "my friend Robert ... has passed away." They each go to say something but he continues "and I'm his daughters godfather, she's coming here, to live with me." They each look at him in shock, unsure of what to say given his loss and new responsibility. However Anya, ever the sensitive type asks "but what about the demon's?" they all look at her, but not because of the insensitive way she asked but because of the valid point she's made "Robert was on the watchers council with me, one of the few that fought my corner when they motioned for my dismissal. I haven't seen young Zoe for many years, but last I saw she was well taught in the truth of monsters and such." They each nod and Xander says "well, do we like... set up a room or something? Maybe buy peasants?" Giles nods and goes to the door next to the front door and opens it "I suppose I'll have to clean out the guest room." They look at him and as Willow feeds Spike his blood says "guest room? I always thought that was a closet!" and the others nod in agreement.

Two days later and there's a knock on the door, Giles answers and looks to his vaster in shock, it's a small baby faced girl, around Buffy's height, maybe slightly smaller, but far more shapely, she's pail with a touch of pink to her skin, her hair is a deep brown with shimmering dark caramel highlights, is long to her forearms, crimped in places but straight and cut in different layers with side swept bangs. She's wearing a long red shirt reading 'Queen Bitch' in silver and a denim mini skirt, black leggings and women's combat boots. A tattoo on her wrist that reads 'Dreamer' with a two blue butterflies next to it and a blossom vine behind it, her makeup light, with sherbet pink lip gloss and cat styled eyeliner, highlighting her emerald eyes. She smiles brightly and says "hey uncle Rup!" he smiles back and hugs the girl before him "Zoe! My how you've grown! I thought you weren't arriving until this evening" she just looks at him and says, her voice less defined than his and softer "I got an earlier flight! Wanted to get out of there." He nods and says "you should have called; I'd have collected you from the airport! Well why you don't have a look around and I'll get your thing." She nods and wonders into the house.

As runs her hand across the counter of the kitchen as she passes, opening the fridge, only finding a few blood bags, fruit and milk. She then turns on her heel and goes through the small corridor, but as she opens the door she gasps slightly at the sight of a hansom blonde man chained to the bathtub watching TV he smiles at her and says "all right?" she just nods as Giles calls her name and the comes to her side. She looks between them and says "I can go the pictures or something,…if you,…want to finish whatever your doing." they both look at her in horror "oh bloody hell no! no!" Spike yells and Giles says "no, for heavens sake no! Zoe this is Spike, he's a vampire and something has been done to him, making it so he cant harm anyone and we wish to know why." she nods slowly "oooohhh! Sorry!" she says to them both, earning scowls from both men.

Giles shows the young girl to her room where he's put her things. it's a comely, cosy room, hardwood floors, a twin bed in the far corner, under a rectangular window, with a bedside table, a oak dresser at the end of the bed, next to the wooden double doors leading to a small walk-in closet, and a table with shelves above it and a old TV. Zoe's bags and suitcases are on the bed and she walks over "thanks for taking me, I know you didn't have to." she doesn't look at the older man as he asks "its no trouble. Zoe I,…I'm sorry about your father. He was a good man, a great man." she doesn't look at him as she starts unpacking "and now he's gone." she says with little emotion, she turns to him with a smile "I'm Fine uncle Rup, really. I'm a big girl." he nods weakly and says "yes well, I'll go shopping and get us something for dinner. You'll get to meet the others later tonight. I'll be back soon." she just nods and continues to unpack, but as she hears the front door close she holts, looks around and slumps on the bed, pulling out a mans large green shirt and inhales the sent of the collar after rapping it around her small body and sobs quietly "oh, Daddy!" and curls up on the bed in the oversized shirt, oblivious to the vampire in the bathroom who hears every whimper of the seventeen year olds heart break.


	2. Making a Friend

**_hey all! thanks for the reviews! and as a result i have another chapter for you" enjoy and PLEASE REVIEW XD JJ_**

Later that night Zoe is sitting in the living room flicking through some channels as the others walk in behind a small blonde girl, Zoe stands as Giles comes from washing the dishes and says "Zoe this is my Slayer, Buffy Summers." she just smiles at the girl and looks to the others "Xander Harris, Anya Jenkins, she's an ex-demon, Willow Rosenberg, she's a practicing witch and Oz . Everyone this is Zoe Evelyn Crown, my goddaughter." Zoe just smiles at them and waves weakly "we're sorry your dads dead!" Anya says through the silence and the brunette nods "yeah, thanks,…can I go now?" she says looking up to Giles and he nods "yes of cause dear." she just nods and goes to the bathroom to wash her face. They all look as she goes and Xander says "she doesn't seem to bad, I thought she'd be crying and stuff." Giles nods and says "yes, as did I, but she seems to be dealing with the situation well." and they all nod in agreement.

While in the bathroom, Zoe leans against the door and sighs in relief "met the Scooby gang then?" her eyes snap open and she nods "yeah, they seem nice, I guess." Spike looks the girl up and down "so,…I get it." she just looks at him confused and he says "You hate being here, you hate everyone around, you hate the world and feel like punching someone in the face, worst part of all is you even hate your dad just a little for dying and somewhere deep down you cant help but think you could have done something to change it" she takes a step forward and asks "how'd you know that?" he just shrugs and says "I was human once" he doesn't have to say anything more and she says "at least your not tiptoeing around it." he smiles lightly and says "I'm not the sugar coating type pet." she smiles and sighs "I just,…I fucking hate this shit." he nods and they stay silent for a few minutes until he says "you like soaps?" she just looks at him for a moment and then answers "some, know any?" he smiles and says "passions, great show, one of the only bloody good American things out there." she laughs and says "I'll give it a shot, suppose there's no way I'm going to be able to watch Hollyoak's over here." and as she turns to leave looks back and says "um,…thanks Spike,…your not as big a prick as Uncle Rup said." he just chuckles and tilts his head "thanks kitten, your not all that bad yourself." and with that she retires to her room, silently getting a soda from the fringe and passing the people in the living room, who were obviously just talking about her. After going into her room she turns on her phone and plugs in her headphones, letting Avril Lavigne's Slipped Away echo through her head as she closes her eyes, falling into the land of dream stared memory's.

She wakes up the next morning and walks out to find Giles looking through some papers she smiles at him and he says "so,…Zoe, I was thinking you could apply for early college classes, when your ready of cause." she just nods "sure that sounds good. Do you have the applications and stuff." he nods and hands her a booklet and some papers "I also spoke to the dean, he has said that you attending now, after enrolment, would not be an issue." she starts and he just looks at her as she examines the papers "that's nice of him. I'm guessing you told him my sob story." she says soullessly and he cant help but explore her face. She just seems so uncaring about the fact her father is dead. She just looks up at him with a smile and says "thanks uncle Rup, I'll look over these while I give Spike his blood." he looks at her and says "you don't have to do that, feeding the house vampire!" she just laughs and says "I don't mind." and takes the papers, grabbing a blood bag and putting it in the microwave.

As the English girl sits on a chair besides the blonde vampire holding the mug of heated pigs blood for him as she goes through the class course's "oh how about film and photography?" taking his lips from the straw he says, smacking his chops "well do you like that kind of stuff?" she just nods and says "yeah, me and dad use to go to the park and stuff, take pictures and mess about." he nods and says "then go for it kitten." she nods and says "yeah, I think I will. Two down one to go!" he just looks at her and asks "what else did you pick?" she just looks at her application and says "Mythology" he just raises an eyebrow and she says "what? I know its mostly real and I feel I can learn from it." he just nods "alright, if that's what you want, then go for it. As long as you don't end up in the watchers shoes." she knows he means Giles, but she cant help but think of another watcher and lowers her head sadly. As her face falls he curses himself silently, he kind of likes the girl, not as bitchy and judgemental as the others, plus she's nice to him, doesn't treat him like a thing! He just looks at her and cant help but say "its gets better, never really goes away, but it does get better." she just looks at him and asks "who did you lose? When you where human" he sighs sadly and says "not something I like sharing pet." she just nods and says "my dad had Crohn's disease, in the end it was like I didn't even know who he was. I spent six years taking care of him, now I,…I just don't know what to do with myself" he just looks at her and says "you do whatever you want to kitten." she just smiles and asks "why are you so nice to me?" he just shrugs and says "well, your nice to me." she just nods and they go back to talking about courses.

Later that day the Buffy comes round with Xander, telling Giles about what's happened between Oz and Willow, how he cheated on her with another werewolf, killed the bitch then left town. Zoe sits in the kitchen as they talk, but when she walks out she drops the cup of tea she was holding and looks to Xander, who has a green shirt over a t-shirt and she screams "what the fuck are you doing?" as she runs at him and starts clawing at his face, Buffy quickly pushes her off and Giles grabs her "what's wrong with you? You don't just attack people!" the blonde shouts and the younger girl screams "that's my dads shirt you fucking shit!" Giles looks to a terrified and bleeding Xander and says "oh my, Zoe, I'm sorry I thought it was mine, so I lent it to Xander." she just looks at him with tears in her eyes as the boy removes the shirt and throws hands it to her. She snatches it quickly and says with tears in her eyes "stay the fuck out of my stuff! I hate you! I hate all of you whinny fucking bitch's!" and slams the door to her bedroom, leaving three guilt ridden faces and falling to her knees as she cry's, clutching the shirt to her like her last lifeline.


	3. ThatsStrange!

**_hey guys sorry about the wait! plz review if you want more :)_**

It's my first day of college and yeah I'm nervous, but wouldn't you be? I stand outside, take a large breath and head in, now or never right?

I walk into my film and photography class finding only a few people there, well, I'm not late! I take a seat by the front as my teacher writes on the bored 'Mr. McNab' it reads. The man is in his early fifty's to late forties, with greying blond hair and a slight beer gut, he's dressed sharply in a navy shirt and black slacks. He turns to the class as the bell chimes; floods of students crashing throw the doors.

As the class goes on I sit taking notes and doodling when a voice asks "miss…Crown! Would you mind answering the question…or would you prefer to show us your doodle!"

I glance up and then back to my picture; carrying on penciling in the shows of the snowflake I drew "anyone can take a good photo, of a waterfall or park, but a great one has to be done with passion! An understanding for what you see, a connection to it, without that…it's just a pretty picture on a wall!"

I look up as I say the last part to see a sly smile on McNab's face as the bell rings and everyone rushes out, I pick up my books and place them in my bag "that was a very insightful answer Miss Crown, and here I thought you weren't paying attention!"

"I do that! See you tomorrow!" and walk out, without looking back at the professor.

I sit in the cafeteria as someone sits next to me; I look up and find it to be the blond haired slayer "hey Zoe, so how's your first day going so far?"

I roll my eyes at her; since I freaked out about my dad's shirt they've all been overly friendly, or avoidant "it's been fine…I have to go!"

Before she could say anything I stand and walk away, binning my tray as I leave. I can't be assed with their pity and fakeness, that's why I like Spike, yeah he's a vampire, but least he tells it how it is and doesn't treat me like a fucking child!

As I walk a boy hands me a leaflet "hey sweetness, party to night, you should defiantly be there!"

He goes to invite another girl and I look at it with a smile, getting wasted, yep I could do that!

Now as I stand in my room and quickly slip my shoes on, I examine myself in the mirror, my hair is all curled except my side bangs, I'm wearing a blood red dress, with a low circular cut so you can see the rise of my chest, the flowing hem ending just short of my knees and a pair of red heels and crimson lipstick.

I smile at the image and pick up my purse and head out, uncle Rupert said he had a friend coming round so me and Spike are crashing at Xander's for a few days, but I think, no thanks, I'll party instead!

I get there and start dancing with everyone and anyone drinking as much as I can, a few guys come up to me, offering to take me back to their place but I quickly brush them off with this line "I'm seventeen!"

But when I wake up I find it deathly quiet, and I'm on a couch with a bunch of other people who never went home! It's starting to get light out so I take my heels from my aching feet and tiptoe out, the streets are dead, not a sound to be heard as I walk calmly to Xander's, but as I open the basement door I see the two men silently yelling at each other.

They then turn to me and Xander tries to yell at me, as I ask what the hell their doing I realize I can't!

My voice, my voice is gone!

We head over to Uncle Rupert's, thinking maybe he could help, Spike takes the sewer and when I get there he hugs me tightly. I'd love to know what the fucks going on, this town is so messed up, I mean I know it's the hell mouth, but it's just crazy, like I wasn't freaked out enough last week when I came home to a blind uncle, with Spike and Buffy sucking face and confessing love! It was funny after though, Spike spent over an hour gargling with anything he could find in the house!

The day goes by and I have to say I'm not happy, as they all slip into research I slip a bottle of scotch and head to my room. I change quickly, Uncle Rupert didn't seem to notice my outfit and I switch into one of my dad's old shirts and some sweats, they get down to business and leave me be… alone!

It's been hours, I sit with a half empty bottle of scotch as the door opens and I scurry to hide the bottle but breathe a sigh of relief when I see the blond vampire enter my room. He looks over at me and takes a seat on the floor beside me, resting on my bed.

He picks up the bottle from under my bed and raises an eyebrow before shrugging and taking a long sip, I take it and thrive on the burn as it washes down my throat. When I look at him he's holding a note pad and pen from my bag on the bed.

'Have fun last night?' it reads and I snatch them from him, pulling a tongue as I do so and start to write.

'I hate this town!' he smiles as I show him that and points to himself then puts up two fingers, taking the bottle have a another swig, we do that for a while just sitting, drinking, we even have a little dance when he gets tired of the silence.

It's safe to say I think that I've found a friend in the vampire; he seems to be the only perk of this crappy situation!

Now as he sleeps on the bottom of my bed, feet resting on the pillow beside me, I draw the curtain, after all it is getting light out and can't help but laugh slightly, he just seems so peaceful and harmless like this, using my teddy bear as a pillow.

I then look to the nightstand, and pick up the old frame. Its covered in shells, bits of fabric and glitter dust, the picture inside is of me and my dad, I'm wearing a birthday button that reads '8th' and wearing denim overalls, my hair is braids, my dad is beside me, holing me in his arms, his black hair short back and sides, his alabaster skin echoes mine, but his eyes are blue and don't glitter the why my green ones seem to, we're both soaked and our mouths covered in cake while smiling brightly. I remember this day, water balloon fights and sweets, the cake he made tasted horrid so we ordered takeout and went the shops for one instead!

As I look at how happy he was then, how full of life I sob silently "I miss you daddy, I miss you so much!"

I suddenly feel a hand on my foot and look to see spike staring at me as I break, I fall into his lap and cry while he strokes my back and rubs my head, I hate this, but I need it, I need a friend and despite what he is, Spikes the closest I have to that here!

After Buffy finds these fairytale gentlemen or whatever and finish's them off everything just goes back, like nothing ever happened, this town sure is resilient! And I have to say I'm happy to hear my own voice again!

But later when Uncle Rupert gets back from taking his 'friend' to the airport he comes over to me with a stern look on his face "Zoe, I think you and I should talk!"

I just look up at him from my homework and sigh "sure, why?"

"Xander tells me that while staying at his house you decided not to…stay as it were and did in fact not show up until the early hours! Would you care to explain yourself?" he says taking off his glasses

I just go back to doing my homework as I shrug "I went to a party, was fun."

He give a deep sigh and shakes his head "Zoe, I know your hurting, but believe me rebellion is not the way, I'm here for you!"

I snap my book closed and glare at him, rage filling me "it's called being young! And I don't need you…I needed you when my dad was too weak to walk, when he needed me to clean up after him because he couldn't make it to the bathroom, when I had to force his food and medication down his neck every day for six years, when he was DYING and I had no choice but to watch because I was all he had!...then I needed you, you never even called!... but not anymore, I appreciate you taking me in, but that's it…I don't need you Ripper!"

With that I collect my books and storm off to my room, slamming the door closed behind me as I throw my things across the room. I crumble against the door, but as I sit there I look to the window, I need to get out of here! I quickly slip on my trainees and jacket then skillfully climb out the window.

I wonder around for a short while, then just take to siting on a bench, as I feel something approach me, I grasp the two weapons in my pocket, one a switch blade, the other a steak but as I turn to hear a voice that relaxes me "well hello kitten!"

I smile to the blond vamp as he falls onto the bench with me "so what are you doing out here all on your lonesome then?"

I give him a 'Fuck you' look and sigh "I snuck out, that man's driving me mental!"

He sniggers lightly "sounds about right, watcher can be an annoying git!"

I nod to that and smile "hey…thanks for the other night! You know the house is shit without you there, just me and him, being marled my angry squalls with rabies would be more fun!"

He laughs and stands "yeah, but still its late, should get you back before you get into any trouble!"

He offers his hand to help me up and I take it, but as I stand I lose my balance and he grips my arm painfully to stop me falling "you alright Kitten?"

I nod and rub at my sore arm as we start to walk home, neither of us paying attention to the fact that he hurt me, even unintentionally, he hurt me…but he didn't feel it come back at him!


End file.
